1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to containers for the storage and dispensing of tablets, such as medicinal tablets or food tablets requiring a child-proof dispenser, such as, e.g., iron tablets. In order that the dose can be controlled, a dispenser is required which dispenses tablets one at a time. The present invention provides such a dispenser. In addition, the present invention provides a locking feature which makes the dispensing mechanism resistant to operation by children, thereby preventing access by children to the contents of the dispenser.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A prior art tablet dispenser is shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. The dispenser includes three parts which are produced from plastic materials, for example by injection molding. These parts are a body portion 1, lid portion 2, and a slider portion 4.
The lid portion 2 interengages with the upper open end of the body portion 1 and lid portion 2 may be molded in one piece and connected by an integrally molded hinge portion (not shown). The body portion 1 has a peripheral wall 5 and a base 6 having a tablet dispensing opening 7. An opening 8 in the peripheral wall 5 is provided to enable the slider portion 4 to be manipulated the assembled dispenser is in use. The body portion 1 may be made of any suitable plastic material.
The body portion 1 includes a flat lower wall 100, which, together with the front wall 5a, rear wall 5c, side walls 5b and lid portion 2 define a reservoir 11 in which a supply of tablets to be dispensed can be stored. The lower end of the reservoir 11 includes a rectangular slot 11a leading to sloping projections 12, 12'. Sloping projections 12, 12' and side walls 12" define a rectangular slot 11a in the base of the reservoir 11 through which pass the tablets to be dispensed. Sloping projections 12, 12' lead to a tablet outlet 13, defined by four vertical walls.
The slider portion 4 is mounted within body portion 1 by sliding it through opening 8 in body portion 1. A thumbpad 200 on slider portion 4 fills opening 8 and allows slider portion 4 to be pushed inwardly by a user's thumb or finger. Slider portion 4 includes a tablet chamber 26 defined by four vertical walls 26a. Tablet chamber 26 is sized so that only one tablet T can fit inside tablet chamber 26. Slider portion 4 also includes two spring fingers 300, one on each side of slider portion 4. Spring fingers 300 are molded integrally at one end 301 to slider portion 4, and contact vertical walls 400 of body portion 1 at an opposite end 302. Slider portion 4 finally includes a retaining latch 500 which engages a lower end of the rear vertical wall 13a defining tablet outlet 13 to retain slider portion 4 in body portion 1. Retaining latch 500 can be angled at one end to allow it to snap under rear vertical wall 13a on first insertion of slider portion 4 into body portion 1.
FIGS. 10 and 11 show operation of the prior art device. In the position in FIG. 10, a tablet T is held in tablet chamber 26 and is prevented from exiting tablet chamber 26 by the base 6. Thumb or finger pressure in the direction P against thumbpad 200 causes slider portion 4 to slide to the right (in FIGS. 10 and 11), against the bias of spring fingers 300 pushing against vertical walls 400. The slider portion 4 thus slides to the position of FIG. 11, such that tablet chamber 26 is immediately above tablet dispensing opening 7. Tablet T contained within tablet chamber 26 thereafter falls from tablet chamber 26 under the force of gravity, and thus the dispenser dispenses a single tablet in the direction D. An upper wall 501 on slider portion 4 closes off tablet outlet 13, to thereby prevent additional tablets in body portion 1 from being dispensed from the dispenser. Thumb or finger pressure is then released from thumbpad 200. The biasing force of spring fingers 300 causes slider portion 4 to move opposite the direction P, returning the slider portion 4 to the position of FIG. 10. In this position, a tablet T can drop into tablet chamber 26 from tablet outlet 13 for subsequent dispensing, as described above.